All The Right Moves, In All The Right Places
by DegrassiIsMyLife123
Summary: 16 year old Maya Matlin is at a point in her life where everything just seems wrong. Her boyfriend is, well, not her boyfriend anymore, her friends are dropping like flies one by one, her father that left her mother(and her family...) eight years ago wants to now mess around with her already unstable home life. She needs an outlet. -ZAYA FANFICTION :)-
1. Chapter 1

**OKAY. UPDATE TIME. I'm back! Feels so good to log back on. I have been super busy with work lately, that I honestly haven't sat down in a while to write! ANYWAYS. I have this whole new idea for a brand new, fresh story for y'all. Whole new beginning, whole new story. **

**ALSO! I DO have a tumblr account now! I will be accepting requests for fics, answering questions, following you guys back, and also telling you guys when I am writing, and when I will be updating. I've actually had it for a while now, just never really posted. SO! My tumblr is "Degrassizaya" (come on, you didn't see that coming?) So go follow me!**

**NOTE: So do you guys remember my one-shot on here called, "Boom, Clap"? It was a little Zaya fluff. Well, I was just going to make this story an add on to it and go from there, but I figured, I want this to be a fresh new story, and also I figured not everyone has read that one shot. SO, if you HAVE read it, this first chapter is going to be VERY similar, almost exact. But now, it's no longer just one chapter. I will say that I do not have these chapters organized or planned out, I only have the first 3 chapters mapped out so far (there's a lot more than three chapters, don't worry!), but other than that I have no idea how long this story will be. SOOO without further ado, GO READ.**

_**Summary:**__ 16 year old Maya Matlin is at a point in her life where everything just seems wrong. Her boyfriend is, well, not her boyfriend anymore, her friends are dropping like flies one by one, her father that left her mother(and her family...) eight years ago wants to now mess around with her already unstable home life. She needs an outlet...she needs a getaway. She needs a boy like Zig Novak._

(MAYA'S P.O.V.)

"Come on, babe! Jump in!"

I literally think I cringed, sitting on some long lawn chair, holding a red solo cup halfway filled with alcohol. I was at Mile's house. He was hosting this huge party that I honestly didn't care about, but went anyway. Miles was my boyfriend, until he decided to do what he did. Something unforgivable.

I had gone through about five cups of mixed alcoholic drinks so far tonight. I was feeling it, but at the same time my body was just shut down. I was staring at all the annoying, drunk teens have fun, kissing their boyfriends or girlfriends, dancing to the awefully loud music, talking crap on one another's best friends, and I was just sitting there like a loser. Don't get me wrong, I had a couple people already come up to me asking me to dance with them, or come into the pool, but it was like my body was there, but my mind wasn't.

My mind was on everything bad in my life. My boyfriend became my ex, my dad, well, he's still a dick. Tristan's been distant, for some reason. I had friends, yeah, I did. But not friends I wanted to hang out with everyday. Not friends I really trusted or, to be honest, liked enough to hang out with. Everything has just been a blur, kind of like my vision was becoming.

I decided to get off of my sorry ass and just go home. My house was a couple miles away, but I figured I could do it. I've done it many times before.

I stood up, and realized that walking home probably wasn't a good idea. I had almost lost my balance and fell into the pool. Wow, I was drunk. Really drunk. I balanced myself, tugging at my Paramore shirt and my black shorts, and picked up my cup of alcohol, sipping what was probably three sips in one. I cringed. It tasted awful.

I threw the cup into the pool, where hundreds of other cups were with the people inside of the pool. I stumbled over to the staircase, leading up to the sliding door to get inside the house. Maybe I could just lay down, sober up a bit before walking home and crying myself to sleep, like I did every night.

One step.

Wow, how many drinks _did_ I have?

Two step.

It was probably the third step when I lost my balance, falling into the lap of some random person. My shoulders lie on his legs (well, I think it's a he, considering it didn't scream like a girl when I fell), as I look up at the face.

I squinted my eyes. Was I looking at...

Zig Novak?

I pushed the hair out of my face, regaining control of my body and standing up.

"Maya?"

Well, it was Zig alright.

"Zigmund Novak," I grinned, nodding my head. "We meet again at this..." I look around, throwing my hand in the air. "_Lame_ party."

"Are you drunk?" He almost chuckled. I looked at him, smiling.

"Maybe just a little..." I giggled. He just stared at me.

"Well," I said, fixing my shirt and hair again. "I am _out_ of here."

"Woah," Zig said, standing up. "You don't think you're going to leave the way you are right now, right?"

"I'm a big girl," I nodded. "I can do it."

"Yeah," he chuckled. "Let's go."

He gently grabbed my elbow, leading me up the stairs. I couldn't really wrap my mind aound that I was talking to Zig Novak again. The Zig Novak I knew in freshman year, the Zig Novak I played the guitar with, the first boy I actually made out with.

My mind was going at too many places at a time, as was my body. Zig had to put his arm around my waist just to keep me up.

We made our way inside, as I began walking to the long staircase. People were crowded inside, talking and laughing, playing some game on the Wii. It was all just too loud. I needed out.

"Upstairs," I pointed to the stairs, as Zig began making his way up them, dragging me along. It was embarrassing how drunk I was. I couldn't control basically anything.

He opened up the first door to the left, which was the Hollingworth's guest bedroom. I threw myself onto the bed, face first, sighing along the way. Zig closed the door, slowly walking over to the bed.

"Why the hell are you this drunk?" He asked, but his voice was too loud for me to even want to listen.

I didn't reply, and then he sat on the bed beside me, not saying anything either.

Surprisingly enough, there was a bottle of water, unopened, laying on the dresser. Zig must have noticed me look at it, and walked over and grabbed it for me, basically throwing it at me.

"Drink."

And so I opened the water bottle, taking four big gulps, almost finishing the water bottle. Zig walked over to the window.

"Hey," I chuckled, whipping my mouth. "From here, you could probably see all the, oh_ I don't know_, ten girls Mile's Hollingsworth is talking to all at once. And maybe, _just maybe_, they will take one of their shirts off. So make sure you look out for that one."

Zig looked at me, and I looked back, before lowering my head, frowning.

"Guessing you and rich boy didn't last?" Zig finally said, still standing at the window. He wasn't looking at me.

"Nope." I quietly said under my breath, shaking my head. I thought I was going to cry. I could feel the tears coming again, I was surprised I even had tears left. But even I was just a little sober, just a little, and I knew I couldn't cry. Not now.

"I hate him," I whispered again, and this time, Zig looked at me. He didn't look at me sympathetically though, he just looked at me. A look I didn't recognize coming from Zig Novak.

He licked his lips, backing away from the window, swinging his arms.

"We haven't talked in months," he began, walking over to the bed. "And this is how we meet again."

"Right," I chuckled to myself. He sat down, so his back was facing me. I had to say, Zig looked...hot. He looked much different than his freshman boy self. He cut his hair, which made him look like a totally new person. He gained muscle, lots of muscle, from that I could see as he was wearing a black vneck. He just looked bigger - more built. It was hot.

"So," I begin. "What brings you here?"

Zig shrugged.

"My friend wanted to come, but I lost him like, ten minutes ago."

"Are you friends with Miles?" I ask. He chuckles.

"No."

I didn't know what else to say. I never had an awkward moment with Zig Novak before. It was always just fun with him, always carefree. It was like he was a totally different person now, and so was I. It felt like freshman year was ten years ago.

"I missed you," I broke the silence, and he turned his head. He wasn't looking at me, but I could tell my words meant something.

"Yeah," he chuckled. "You missed me and all the times I called also."

That stung, and it wasn't the alcohol.

What do you even say to that? What do you say to a friend you ignored all summer, and almost all year, because you got a new boyfriend. A friend who, by the way, was in love with you at one point. I was lost at words, I didn't know what to say.

He must have felt the awkward silence too, and he must have knew how bad I felt at that moment, because he spoke again.

"I'm sorry."

"No," I quickly said back. "You have nothing to be sorry about." I shifted my body a little closer to him, but his back was still facing me. "I should have called you back, or talked to you in school."

"Why didn't you?"

I shrugged. Why didn't I? I didn't even know the answer to that. I guess I was just so caught up with Miles, so busy trying to figure out of Miles actually loved me, if he was cheating on me, or stuff with Tristan. I was so busy, I didn't even realize Zig was still here, still at Degrassi.

"I don't know," I softly said. "If it means anything, I'm sorry."

He was silent for a second.

"I am too."

And then the room was silent again, the only sound coming from the blaring music outside. I could still hear the hollering girls, the screaming guys.

I think a rush came over me, I don't know if it was the alcohol, or just bottled up emotions. But something was driving me closer to him. Closer to Zig. I wanted to be closer. I wasn't even thinking, it was the alcohol doing it for me. A rush going through my system. Wanting to do something daring, wanting to forget about the pain for a while.

I leaned over so I was balanced on my hands and knees on the bed, and I began kissing Zig's neck. He got very tense the second he felt my mouth on his neck, giving him soft kisses. He was just as shocked as I was. I think he caught his breath for a second. After two or three seconds, he realized what was going on, and tilted his head to the side a bit, giving me more access. His pulse was rising.

"Maya..."

"Shh," I hushed, my kisses going up his neck more, closer to his mouth. I got a little more comfortable, sitting on my feet. I then took my hand and rested it on his cheek, moving his face as I kissed his lips. He was tense again, but then he began kissing me back. He did nothing with his hands, the only motions were coming from his lips on mine. I didn't know what I was doing, why I was kissing him, but at that moment, it felt good. It felt powerful.

He was the one to break the kiss.

"Maya..." He said again, and I moved away from him a little, looking at him.

"I understand that right now you...you're hurt from whatever Miles did to you." He slowly began standing up. "But I can't be that guy, Maya."

That guy, meaning the guy I have sex with to get back at Miles. To get even. To feel better.

"I'm sorry," I shook my head, rubbing my face.

"No, Maya it's fine." He said, sitting next to me again. He then put his hand on my back, trying to calm me down. He did that for a minute or so, we sat there for a minute or so.

"You need to get home," he said.

"Just..." I began, resting my head on the closest pillow. "I need to rest for...just a little."

And then I passed out.

* * *

**OKAY. SO.**

**I know, this is almost exactly like Boom, Clap. BUT, trust me, there's a lot more to this story, ALOT. Next chapter, there will be a couple more characters...okay fine I'll give you some. Frankie will be appearing, as will some of your favorite Rubber Room kids :) Also, what happened with Miles and Maya? And what's happening with her home life, with her parents? **

**Also, I will be adding a new character in, one that isn't on the show. Maya will be having an Uncle Rob. :)**

**SOOOOOO...what did you guys think? Do you guys want more to this story? Let me know in the reviews!**

**P.S. Do you guys know what song inspired the title of this fic? I bet you do! This story will be based on that song :) It's one of my all time favorites.**

**Until next time, **

**xoxo :)**


	2. Chapter 2

(MAYA'S P.O.V.)

I think I was experiencing the _worst_ headache in the history of headaches.

I woke up to the bright sunlight beaming on me. My glasses were still on, my black shorts were basically riding up my ass, and I had covers over me.

Where the hell was I? I certainly wasn't in my bed. I wasn't in my room.

Was I...

_No..._

I couldn't be at the Hollingworth's house. I couldn't be at my_ ex boyfriends_ house.

Wow, this is one hell of a nightmare.

"You're finally up!" Frankie said, closing the door behind her. I was in the Hollingsworth's guest bedrooms bed.

"What am I..."

"You passed out last night." She replied. I rubbed my eyes.

Come on, Maya. The last thing you remember. It wasn't the pool, it wasn't the drunk girls that fell into the pool...

Then Zig came into my mind. I was with Zig last. In this room.

"Don't worry," Frankie said, walking over to the bed. "Miles has no idea you're here. He passed out by the pool at like, three last night. As far as I know of, he's still there."

"_Oh my god_," I moaned, rubbing my head. What had happened after I fell asleep?

"When did I...when did the party end? How long was I...?"

"I walked in here at like, two, when the party died down completely," she began. "And some guy with black hair wearing a black shirt was sitting in here by the bed."

It had to be Zig.

"He said he wanted to make sure nothing happened to you since...you know, you passed out." She finished.

"Wait, he _stayed_ in here until everyone left?"

"Until everyone left," she nodded. "Once I told him everyone was gone and I had everything under control, I told him he could leave."

So Zig had stayed here, until two in the morning watching me sleep. Making sure nothing bad happened to me. Dang.

"He also said your mom called," Frankie slightly grinned. Oh god. My mom!? She was probably worried sick!

"Oh my god," I loudly sighed. "My _mom_!"

"I was like, half dead asleep when I saw him in here. I think he might have answered."

Shit.

"Oh god," I ripped the blankets off of me, trying to gather all my very little belongings. "I have to get home."

"I have Hunter making you something, if you want to wait." Frankie stood up, but I couldn't stay. I had to get home and try to explain my way out of this.

"No, no it's okay. My mom will probably kill me." I fixed my hair in the mirror, beginning to walk out until Frankie stopped me.

"Maya,"

I stopped and turned around.

"We're still...good, right? I mean, Miles is a dick, everyone knows that. But I hope we can stay friends."

I walked over to Frankie, giving her a hug.

"We will always be friends, Franks." She hugged me back, before letting me go off into hell, a.k.a. my home. I walked out of the guest bedroom and down the stairs I walked down many times before. Red solo cups were everywhere, as two guys I didn't know were trying to clean everything up before the parents got home. I didn't bother to say hello.

oOo

I walked into my house to find my mother sitting in the kitchen. I took a deep breath. Okay, Maya. You can do this.

"Hey...mom." I slowly said, walking in. She looked at me up and down and giggled.

"Why are you still in last night's clothes?" She asked.

"Um, they're actually pretty comfortable." I managed to make out. Wow, I was making it obvious.

"So, how was Tristan's last night? Are you guys better now?" She asked, sipping her coffee. Tristan's? _What?_

My mind went to what Frankie said about Zig answering my phone.

"Who was on the phone last night by the way?" She raised her eyebrow. "Were you guys hanging with Zig?"

"Yes," I quickly replied. "We were. And...Tristan and I are, okay, I guess. Pretty much back to normal." I lied. Thank god for Zig.

"Mm," She nodded.

"Did dad call?" I tried to change the subject. But honestly, I didn't want him to call. I never wanted to ever speak to him again.

"No," she blankly replied.

And then the conversation was over.

* * *

(NEXT MORNING: MONDAY MORNING MAYA'S P.O.V.)

I was walking to the office on a Monday morning. That didn't feel like a good thing. I went to my homeroom, and my teacher handed me an orange pass telling me to go to Mr. Simpson. Why did he even want to see me? What did he want?

The only other time I ever got called down to the office was for, well, Cam. And as far as I'm concerned, my boyfriend didn't die again, although I didn't have one. Ha. Would be nice if my _ex boyfriend_ did, though.

I knocked on Mr. Simpson's door, and he stood up and greeted me, pointing to the chair in front of his desk. I took my back pack off and rested it on the floor, quickly sitting down.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Well, Maya," Mr. Simpson said, interlocking his fingers together. "It has been brought to my concern that your attitude in school has been unruly lately. You have been acting out in class, sleeping in class, and let's not forget what you wrote on Zoe Riva's locker."

Ha, how can anyone forget? _Zoe Rivas is a slutty backstabbing whore._

"That is not the way you act in school, Ms. Matlin."

"But Mr. Simpson, she had..." I yelled, but he cut me off.

"I don't care what she did, or what she said, that's not something you write on someone's locker. Actually, if we are regarding not _only_ the student handbook,"

I slumped in my chair, crossing my arms.

"But the rules of the state, vandalism is against the law."

"So what are you gonna do," I sounded awfully bitchy, but I didn't care. "Are you gonna _arrest_ me?"

"That is not my intentions, Ms. Matlin. And I hope that will never be my intentions, especially with you." He paused, looking at me but I looked away. "Your actions will have consequences."

"Okay okay," I sat up in my seat. "Just give me my weeks detention so I can get to my bio class,"

"You won't be attending your bio class, Ms. Matlin."

What? _He was suspending me?_

"You will be going to the Remedial Room, where you will spend the next couple weeks in there with Mrs. Grell."

"The Rubber Room!?" I shouted. "You can't put me in there Mr. Simpson. Isn't that a place for criminals, potheads, drug dealers!?"

"I can assure you that it's a safe place. Mrs. Grell is a wonderful teacher and if you pass the class this block, you won't have to attend for last block."

"This isn't fair," I shook my head.

"Actually, I could suspend you." He replied back. "But considering the fact that you don't have a record here, and you get pretty good grades, I won't do that."

I just sat there with my arms crossed. The Rubber Room?! He was sending me to the Rubber Room? Who was even in there anyways?

"But wait," I sat up. "What about my bio class?"

"Your schedule will be changed," he replied. "But until we get that figured out you will be going to the Remedial Room this next period, and also last."

"It's last period too!?"

He nodded, standing up. I followed as he stood up, my mouth wide open.

"There's nothing else I can do?" I blankly asked him.

"Nothing else." He replied.

I sighed. Arguing with him wouldn't work, it would probably just get me a suspension. So I grabbed my book bag, slugged it over my shoulder, and walked out.

Well great. Just great! Like my life wasn't already a living hell. Not only will I have hell at home, I would have hell at school. In the Rubber Room. With all of those...delinquents.

I walked down the hall, passing Tristan on the way. All he did was look at me and walk away. To be honest, I could care less about him right now. He took _Zoey the Hoey's_ side on what she did, because she's some fucking actress queen. He backstabbed me. He made it seem like what she did to me was alright.

After a minute of walking, and crying inside I arrived to the Rubber Room. I took a deep breath before I entered. Just get this over with.

I walked in and quickly walked to an open seat. I tried to avoid contact with anyone, but from what I saw they were all freaks. I looked up and saw a girl with blue dye in her hair talking to some kid with an orange stripe in his hair.

"Can I help you, Blondie?" The girl said. I guess she noticed me staring. I looked down, trying to ignore her. I could feel her eyes on me for a couple seconds more, but then she looked away.

I slumped in my seat, crossing my arms. I hated the fact I was in here. I hated it. I would've punched Mr. Simpson if I was able to.

"Okay, everyone settle down!" Mrs. Gel or whatever her name was shouted while walking in. Everyone took a seat, including the girl with the blue stripes in her hair who sat next to me.

_"Pst,"_ I heard beside me, and I looked over and she was pointing to my open bag, with my MacBook poking out.

"I'd zip that if I were you, Princess." I looked at her for a second, before realizing what she was talking about. I bent down and zipped it, and heard her say, "Grace, by the way."

Grace slumped back into her seat, as Mrs. Grell began talking.

"We have a new student joining us," Mrs. Grell pointed to me. Oh god. She had to make an announcement? What, was this freshman year all over again? "Her name is Maya Matlin and I expect all of you to treat her the way you treat each other...well, most of you."

Everyone was silent for a second. If I could make myself invisible, I would. Forever.

"Okay, well we are going to start off class with a new project, in which will force you guys to work outside of school on it, since I won't be giving you much time in class." everyone moaned to the words coming out of her mouth. A project? In the Remedial Room? Weren't we supposed to be talking about, like, how to not want to stab someone? That would actually be pretty a pretty useful subject to explain just about now. And outside of school? Where they can kill me, alone?

"Get into groups of about 3-4." She said.

Everyone immediately got up and got with groups, as I sat there, alone.

"Oh wow," I heard Mrs. Grell say from behind me. "Look who finally decides to show up!"

I turned around and saw a boy with a black leather jacket on, holding a black backpack and an annoyed look on his face. He looked tired.

By the way, did I mention it was ZIG NOVAK?

I guess he saw me, because his face turned into a shocked impression. He was shocked to see me. In the Rubber Room.

He took the paper that Mrs. Grell was giving him, and hardly listened as she told him to get into a group, because he was too focused on me.

He slowly walked over to me.

"Maya? What are you doing here?" He asked before taking a seat by me. I was about to open my mouth to say something, until Grace turned around and said something.

"Zig, you're working with us, aren't you?"

Zig looked at her, and then looked back at me.

"You're in the Rubber Room?" He asked me, and I nodded. I hardly noticed how fast my heart was beating.

"Novak!" Grace said, giving a weird look at him, then at me. That look like, "why are you talking to her?"

Zig got up, finally taking his eyes off of me and walking over to Grace and the other kid, I think his name was Tiny. He then looked back at me.

"Well, are you gonna work with us?" He asked, and I quickly got up with my stuff and walked over to them. Thank god.

Mrs. Grell began explaining what the project was. We had to make some kind of poster of different behaviors or something. I didn't really listen, I was too busy focusing on the fact that Zig was in here. How long had he been in here for? How did he know these people? Why was he in here? Did I have sex with him at that party? Can I possibly be pregnant with his baby?

Ha. Just kidding. I knew I didn't have sex with him. I do remember kissing him...I think.

And then she said we would have to work on this project not only in class, but out of class.

"Novak," I heard Grace whisper to Zig. "Why is Blondie working with us?"

Okay, Blondie is getting kind of old. Thanks, I know I have blonde hair.

Zig shrugged her off.

"Ugh," Tiny sighed. "We have to work on this outside of class?"

"Grell is so annoying," Zig added on. I just sat there, sitting on my hands. I couldn't stop looking at Zig.

Grace must have noticed.

"Are you two like, dating or something? Because as far as I'm concerned Novak will never have a girlfriend." Grace laughed, and Zig threw her a nasty look.

"Shut up, Grace. No, she's not my girlfriend." Zig said in a mad tone. Like he was embarrassed. Of me.

Everyone was kind of silent, except for Tiny adding onto the joke Grace made. But I didn't listen. I couldn't stop thinking about why Zig was in here.

"Where are we even going to do this project?" Tiny asked.

I needed to know why Zig was in here. I needed to know this new Zig. I wanted to know this new Zig. And if inviting them all over was the way to find all of this out, I'd do it. So I offered it.

"We can work on it at my house after school," I softly said, and they all looked at me, Grace tilting her head and giving me a "what?" look.

"What, are we gonna have a tea party also?" She snickered.

Everyone was silent, and she looked at them.

"I'm kidding, Blondie."

Well, this wasn't going to be easy.

* * *

So they ended up coming over.

The walk to my house was awkward. I was lucky enough to live close to the school, so walking distance was only five minutes. Tiny was going off about how much he hated his science teacher, as Grace had her headphones in, but could still hear Tiny, from all the side jokes she made.

Zig traveled close behind. I walked next to him, hoping he would say something to me. But he didn't. We just walked.

"So my mom isn't home," I said, putting my hands in my pockets. "She probably won't be until 6ish."

I would be home alone with a bunch of delinquents. Well, was Zig one? What did Zig even do to get in the Rubber Room? I kept asking myself the same questions in my head.

I opened the front door of my house with my key, and walked into the kitchen, where they set their bags in the kitchen. Everybody was silent for a couple seconds, until I spoke up.

"Well, my laptop is in my room, so you guys can hang out...wherever." And then I walked into my room, up the stairs. I could hear Tiny talking to Grace from my room. I quickly walked over to my bed, unplugging my laptop when I heard a laugh that scared me at first.

"Still the same," Zig chuckled. I stood up, with my laptop.

"Yeah," I chuckled back, looking around. "Pretty much."

"So," Zig started. "I just wanted to ask about that...Saturday night."

I knew exactly what he was talking about.

"I know," I quickly replied. "I'm...well, thanks for, you know, making sure I was okay."

"No problem." He replied. And that was all he said.

"Look, Zig. I'm -" I began, but I was interrupted.

"Come on you lovebirds!" Grace yelled from the stairs, making Zig chuckle a bit.

"We should probably go," Zig pointed to my door, and I nodded and walked down the stairs with him behind me. I set out all the supplies on my kitchen counter, and I was surprised to see Zig go into my fridge. Not that I was offended or angry, Zig used to do that all the time last year, I was actually shocked to see how quickly we could just - be okay together.

oOo

After about two hours of working, I was shocked to see how well us four got along. I was no longer made fun of by Grace, only as jokes. We were all laughing, talking, barely doing the project. Well - I was gluing stuff down, as they watched and threw popcorn into each others mouth. After a while, they walked around my kitchen, looking at picture frames on the wall, as Zig stayed over by me.

"Is this your sister?" Tiny asked, pointing to a picture my sister and I took a couple months ago - since my mother insisted on us getting professional pictures done.

"Mhm," I nodded my head. "She's away at college. Her name is Katie."

"Ha," Zig chuckled. "Remember that one time my guitar knocked over her nail polish,"

I already knew what he was going to say, and I laughed along. "And then you blamed it on me. Yup, I remember."

"Wait," Grace said. "You guys already know each other?"

"Mhm," I said again. "Since last year."

"Wait, really?" Tiny said. "Wait! You're the Maya Zig always -"

"Tiny!" Zig quickly said. And then Tiny shut up.

What was Tiny about to say? The Maya Zig always...talked about? Hated on?

"Is this your dad?" Grace said, pointing at a picture of my mother and my uncle.

"No," I blankly said. And Zig looked at me, because he knew my dad left us not too long ago. "That's my Uncle Rob."

"Where's your dad?" Tiny asked.

"He's an asshole." I quickly said, for a second not noticing what he asked. "He uh, my parents are divorced. And soon, I'll be "divorced" from him too!"

They were silent for a second.

"What do you mean you'll be divorced from him?" Zig asked.

"Well," I said, setting down my glue stick. "Let's just say, we aren't on good terms. At all. So my mom is in the process of getting full custody, and in about a month or so, I won't ever have to see him again, hopefully."

"Wow, Blondie." Grace sighed. Just a second ago we were laughing and having fun, and now it felt as if it was just - silent.

"It's just been stressful lately," I continued. "I just want to get away from it for a while."

Just then, Grace smiled at Tiny, and Tiny smiled back.

"_No,"_ Zig said to Grace. "No don't even say it."

"Why not?" Grace asked, smirking. "She has some shit going on."

"What?" I asked, looking at all of them.

"Grace..." Zig stared at Grace, shaking his head.

"Chill your balls, Novak." Grace said. "Hang out with us tonight, Blondie."

"But...it's a school night." I said.

"So...? Who cares, just tell your mom you'll be finishing the project at the library or something."

I wondered why Zig was saying "no" to Grace. But Grace was right. I had a lot of shit going on. I lost my boyfriend, my best friend, and my home life certainly wasn't pleasant. So what would the problem be, just hanging out with a couple friends? That's all it was.

"Okay," I finally agreed, smiling. "What are we going to do?"

"You'll see."


	3. Chapter 3

**So what were your guys predictions for what would happen when the Rubber Room kids took Maya to hang out? Was it what you THINK it is..hmm:)**

(MAYA'S P.O.V.)

"So I told my mom I would be home at like, 8." I slid my phone into my back pocket, as we were walking down a street I wasn't really familiar with. It was almost dark.

"Okay, Princess. You said it like,_ five_ times." Grace snickered back. Zig and Tiny chuckled along.

"So who's house are we doing to?" I asked. Grace looked at Tiny, and Tiny looked at Grace, and they chuckled. Zig just rolled his eyes.

"We aren't going to anyone's house." Grace replied.

"Where are we going?" I asked. Then she pointed down a narrow street with some graffiti on the cement walls. It was empty.

"Here."

The street was actually kinda cool. Normally, I would think graffiti was like, I don't know, weird? Didn't the boys in skinny jeans and long hair who rode skate boards do this stuff? But the graffiti wasn't just pointless words, it was art. It was actually really cool.

Grace then stopped and sat cris-cross on a little corner of the cement wall, and Tiny and Zig followed.

"It's cool back here," I slowly said, looking around.

"It is." Grace replied.

"So...why are we here?" I asked. Grace chuckled to herself, and Tiny did also.

"Guys, can we not?" Zig asked. He was nervous for some reason, I could tell. I could always tell when he was.

"Chill the hell out, Novak. She doesn't have to do it." Grace replied.

"Do what?" I asked. Just then, I saw her pull out a little baggy from her coat pocket. Was that..._weed?_

"Is that weed?" I widened my eyes, looking closer. Grace nodded.

"The _good_ stuff," Tiny nodded, and Zig rolled his eyes again.

"Dang," I said, examining the bag Grace was holding. I heard many things about weed in my life. Obviously, my mother, being a mother, always told me, _"never do that stuff, Maya",_ and I would just nod. Yeah yeah, drugs are bad. But then I've heard good stuff about it.

Weed couldn't kill you, right? I mean, it may be _illegal_ but, people don't die from it.

Just then, Grace reached into her school bag, and took out an empty water bottle. She began taking the weed out of the baggie and doing something in which I had no idea with the bottle.

"Guys seriously, Maya shouldn't do it." Zig sighed, shaking his head. I looked over at him. Why was he so concerned about me?

"If Blondie doesn't want to do it," Grace said, still continuing to do something to the bottle. "She doesn't have to."

"No," I quickly replied, not thinking. "I wanna do it."

"Have you even done it before?" Zig asked, throwing me a mean look.

"Yes." I lied. I mean, I had to lie. I couldn't let them think I was some kind of princess who got straight A's and did everything her mommy let her do.

"You have?" Zig asked.

"Mhm." I lied again. Then all the sudden, Grace put her mouth to the lid of the water bottle, and began breathing in. I watched her closely as she did it, so I wouldn't look dumb doing it. Then she blew out, and the aroma was god awful.

I'm not gonna lie, I was scared. I never did it before. It was like the first time you drink, you're scared, you have no idea how you will react to it. But, I was with safe people, right? I mean, I was with Zig Novak. When did he even begin doing drugs, anyway? Since when did he even start hanging out with people who did drugs?

Grace and Tiny seemed cool though. They were funny, a little too sarcastic at times, but they were fun. This was certainly better than crying in my room all night about some ass hole who fucked me over. I was gonna suck it up, and get high.

And boy, did I feel it.

* * *

"Oh my gosh," I giggled, caressing Tiny's arms. "Your arms are _soooo_ long."

"Yeah," Tiny chuckled back. "They are, aren't they?"

I never felt this way before. Everything was just so...chill. Like, everything was kind of spinning, but in a good way. I don't think I've ever been this happy before.

"I think Blondie likes it." Grace chuckled, coughing. I saw Zig take some, but he was really calm. He was hardly even talking. He just sat there, hugging his legs.

"Zig," I laughed, leaning in closer to him. "Your hair looks _so_ much better like that."

"Looks like Blondie likes Zigmund too," Grace laughed. I slowly looked at Grace, and for some reason I was smiling. I don't even know what I was doing.

"Do you ever just," I began, sitting back. "Do you ever just wonder like, the sun sets at like...the same time _every night_. Like, what if the sun just _forgot_ to set?"

Tiny began cracking up.

"Like..the sun would just be like, _oops, forgot to set_."

"Oh god," Grace chuckled. "Your one of those..."

"One of what?" I asked.

"The weird highs."

"Come on," I said. "You've never thought about that before? Not _once_?"

Grace shook her head, giggling.

"So what happened with you and that rich guy," Tiny began. "Mark? Meter?"

"Miles?" I chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah that's the one."

I took a big deep breath. For some reason, right nowI felt fine about talking about it.

"Let's just say...he's a big, big, _BIG_ dick. With a tiny one too..._HA!_ See what I did there, Tiny?_ Tiny_."

Grace then laughed out loud, and I think Zig did too.

"He thought it was fine...to go fuck some other girl." I spit out, and it was silent for a couple seconds.

"He cheated on you?" Grace asked.

"Mhm. He hooked up with that actress slut. _AND THEN_, he came over afterwards, smelling like some _god awful_ coconut smell, and he was like, _oh, it was FRANKIE_." I imitated him. "Lies. I'm telling you, all guys are just so fucking disgusting."

Everyone was silent.

"Except you guys." I said. "Tiny and Zig."

"Tiny is disgusting." Grace chuckled, and Tiny playfully hit her.

"So then what happened?" Zig asked. I was shocked to hear words come out of his mouth.

"Well Zoe, that was her name by the way, the _actress slut_. She calls him within the first couple minutes he was over, and I could hear her say, _you should toottally come over again later."_ I imitated her in a more mean way. "And then, well, I slapped him and told him to leave."

"You slapped him?" Tiny asked.

"I slapped him." I proudly nodded. "I would've done much more, but I was just...so shocked." I whipped my head back, and the spinning was still affecting me.

"And then I wrote that Zoe was a slutty whore on her locker, and well, now I'm here." I sighed. "In the Rubber Room, I mean."

"Wow Blondie," Grace smiled, nodding. "I gotta say I'm proud of you."

"And that on top of everything going on with my dad," I began, sighing. "It's just been...too much."

"And that's why you're here." Grace said. "Get your mind off of things."

"You know," I began, sitting up. "You guys are like...really cool. Much cooler than, well, my other friends who aren't really my friends anymore."

"Who, Tristan?" Zig giggled, and I laughed back, harder.

"Yeah, Tristan. He's so...ugh."

"Oh shut up, you guys were like obsessed with each other last year," Zig replied, but he was smiling.

"No, that was him and Tori. He only liked me because she left."

"_Tori!?_ Zig's ex girlfriend?" Grace laughed, and Zig shot her a mean look.

"He told you that?" I laughed harder, and after a couple seconds, Zig was laughing along.

"He also told us how you guys kissed," Tiny added on, and Zig stopped laughing. "About how g-"

"Tiny..." Zig began, and Tiny shut his mouth. I looked at Tiny, and then back at Zig.

"What was he about to say," I smiled, pointing at Tiny, and Zig just shook his head.

"How _gooood_ it was," Tiny cracked up. And then suddenly, headlights were blinding us, as a car slowly approached.

_"Shit_," Zig said under his breath.

"Who...who is that?" I asked, and then I was standing up. Grace quickly grabbed her stuff, as did Tiny, and they both began running, as Zig grabbed my arm firmly and was dragging me along with him.

"Run," Zig said, and I looked back and the car was coming faster at us.

"Where are we...what's going on!?" I asked, afraid. Was it the cops or something? There was no headlights.

"Just come on!" Zig yelled, and before I knew it we were out of the alley way, running down some street.

"Novak, take Maya with you." Grace yelled, running the opposite way that Zig and I were running with, Tiny going with her. Zig had let go of me by then, as I was just running behind him, trying to keep up.

"Zig what's going on?" I asked, while running behind him. He was running pretty fast. "Are those the cops?"

"No, just come on." He said, and then he made a turn, looking back behind at me. The car wasn't following us anymore, or atleast it wasn't behind us.

I wasn't feeling the feeling I was before. It was like all the weed was just out of my system. I was scared. I had no idea what was going on.

Just then, Zig stopped at some house, quickly looking behind him and at me, and then he began opening the window to the house.

"Zig, what are you doing?" I asked, out of breath.

"Shhh."

He opened the window completely, before quickly climbing in.

Were we breaking into an abandoned house?

He then was completely into the house before holding his arms out, motioning me to quickly come in.

"Come on," He whispered. And before I knew it, I was climbing through the window, my blonde hair swooshing everywhere.

**(OK CAN WE JUST PAUSE FOR A SECOND BECAUSE I CAN PICTURE THIS SCENE SO WELL IN MY HEAD OK RESUME)**

When I was completely in the house, Zig quickly closed the window, locking it. I looked around. It looked like someone had been living here. In an abandoned house. There was empty Chinese food cartons, a pillow and blanket on the pull out bed. I turned around to Zig, who was looking out the window.

"What's going.."

"Shh, for one second." He said, examining the streets out the window. I could feel my palms getting sweaty, my entire body shaking.

"I think we're good." He sighed of relief. He then turned around, passing me slowly.

"Zig what the hell just happened?" He ran his fingers through his hair, breathing out slowly.

"Those guys in the car, they aren't exactly on good terms with me right now."

"What guys? What do you mean? What's going on?" I asked so many questions a mile a minute, but I was just so nervous. I had no idea what was going on.

"Just, not very nice guys. It's okay, we're fine now."

"No, Zig. What's going on? Why are we in here?" I asked quickly, looking around. I then noticed a shirt I remembered Zig wearing the night of the party.

"You live here?"

He was silent. And then he nodded.

"Why are you living here? Zig, what the hell is happening? I'm so confused."

Zig sat down at the edge of the bed, and I sat down on the chair next to the bed.

"My parents kicked me out."

_Wow._

"Your _parents_? Why?"

"It's a really long story. A story you shouldn't know." He shook his head.

"Zig I'm your friend, I have been since last year. Just tell me what's going on."

He was silent, and then slowly looked up at me.

"I'm your friend? Really? You _really_ mean that?" He said in an angry tone. "You just, get drunk at a party, kiss me to get your anger out on Miles, come here and hang out with my friends and act like nothing even happened?"

"I thought we were good..."

"You ignore me,_ all_ summer." He stood up, and I followed. "Especially after what I said to you the last time I saw you, before you got on that plane to Paris or wherever the hell you went."

Where the hell was this even coming from? We run from some person in the middle of the night, come into this abandoned house, and he wants to talk about the past?

"And then after your boyfriend cheats on you, you suddenly want to be best friends with me again."

"Zig that _isn't_ how it is." I shook my head.

"Oh really? Because that's how it looks. That's what it seems like."

Everything was an eerie silence then. Just him looking at me, me looking at him.

"Zig I'm...I'm sorry." Was all I could say. I had tears in my eyes. I had thrown away this amazing friendship, for Paris. For Miles. And that broke my heart.

He didn't say anything at first, but I guess he noticed the tears in my eyes, and his face softened.

"I'm sorry about tonight, you didn't need to see-"

"No, Zig." I stopped him. "I'm really sorry for being such a bitch to you. I mean..._come on_." I threw my arms up. "I'm so freaking _stupid_."

"No you're not."

"No, really I am. I'm so dumb. I let in all the wrong people, and push away the people who really actually care about me." I was crying now. "You really fucking care about me."

Zig looked down, like if he saw my face, his hard, tough shell would crack. I could tell he felt bad.

"Please...just-" I began.

And then he was hugging me. And I have to say, it was a very, very much needed hug. Everything bad in my life, with my dad, with Miles, with Tristan, with whatever happened tonight just came pouring out, as I cried on his chest.

"Shh, stop crying." He softly said, resting his chin on my head. We stood like that for a minute or so.

"I really needed that," I chuckled, whipping my face.

I looked around again. Zig was actually living here.

"I should get you home," Zig said, walking over to the window, looking out of it. "It's almost 8."

"Come with me." I walked over to him.

"Yeah, I'm going to walk you home obviously."

"No, come home with me."

I think he thought it was a sexual invitation at first, because his face was shocked.

"I mean, I'm not just going to let you stay here."

"Maya, it's fine."

"No, I'll talk to my mom about it, my sister is at college and we have a spare bedroom and-"

"Maya, stop. It's fine I'm okay."

"One night." I insisted. "My mom probably won't mind. And plus, those guys, whoever they are, might still be around."

"I'm a big boy, Maya. I'll be fine."

"Please." I begged. "Just one night."

I was worried about him. I was worried those guys would hurt him.

And then we were climbing out of the window again.


End file.
